Numerous losses to merchants and/or financial institutions occur due to identity theft, counterfeiting, and account takeovers. With the rapid growth in Internet transactions and E-Check payments, fraud perpetrators can conduct fraud remotely when they want, where the want, and with no face-to-face contact. Because of the anonymity, reach and speed that the Internet provides for fraud perpetrators, risk management and fraud prevention are increasingly important and valuable. For example, with the increase of web transactions, (non face-to-face transactions), efforts to identify the person conducting the transaction as an authorized user of the account is important to help mitigate losses from identity theft and account take-over. Similarly, identification of an authorized account owner for new account funding opening deposits and account to account transfers, processed through financial services companies, is beneficial for preventing losses as well as for customer convenience.
In order to reduce the risk of losses due to fraud, banks, merchants, and other entities routinely verify information related to a particular financial account when conducting transactions with that account. For example, payment processors and financial service companies verify checking account information for a consumer wishing to make a transaction using that account. Such transactions occur in a variety of forms, including traditional paper checks, debit cards, electronic checks, or Automated Clearing House system transactions.
Presently, verification systems exist which include a centralized database populated with account information contributed directly by participating banks and institutions. These systems provide advance notification of potential check returns to participating financial institutions by allowing financial institutions inquiry to a national shared account and transaction database (NSD), which is contributed to by major financial institutions and updated daily, and which includes the most current checking account status information as well as check level detail on returned items and stop payments. The information stored in the NSD is intended to be available to inquirers receiving funds by check or electronic payment in sufficient time to enable them to avoid loss that might result from non-payment. The NSD thus stores information about each participant institutions checking accounts, such that, if queried about a particular participant bank's account, the database may return the status (e.g., closed, overdrawn, high check return rate, new account) of that account to the inquirer. The inquirer (such as a merchant or depository bank) may then decide how they want to handle the transaction (e.g., merchants and financial institutions may decide whether to accept the check and financial institutions may decide whether to place an “extended hold” on the checking account). Inquiries may take place immediately (i.e., in real time) or in overnight batch processes.
Additionally, the NSD can include identity information related to individuals authorized to use the account. For instance, the NSD can maintain names of authorized individuals for each account. Such information can be used to verify that a particular individual is authorized to conduct a given transaction on a specific account, prior to completion of the transaction.
However, because of the account and identity information such a centralized database holds, it presents an attractive target for hackers, thieves, and other assorted miscreants. Typically, such a centralized database will be protected by the best firewalls, encryption, and other security technology available to prevent unauthorized access and/or theft of the information stored therein. Nevertheless, some financial institutions may be reluctant to contribute account information to such a centralized system for fear of the information being stolen or misused.